As usual with every Beats audio launch, there were plenty of (deliberate) leaks and (deliberate) rumours appearing on the web as the headphones neared their launch date.

But from the leaks, all I really noticed was that they looked like any other pair of headphones – nothing necessarily special to see here.

But then the headphones were formally announced, and what they do and how they work was explained, and I thought to myself, “huh, that’s an interesting pair of headphones”.

And I had the strangest feeling that I’d seen them before that I couldn’t shake. The Beats 360 seem novel, but Beats/Apple have gone back to the archives and dug up a design that seemed doomed to life as an online rumour.

Are these the prototype AirPods Max?

Back in 2020, when we were all cooped up in our houses, Apple was prepping its first pair of over-ears – and there were all types of rumours flying around back in the days when you couldn’t read a news piece about an Apple device without the name Jon Prosser bandied about.

Rumours stated that Apple was going to launch pairs of over-ears. The one we eventually saw get launched, initially thought to be called AirPods Studio. And then a pair that was deemed more unconventional and radical.

I remember seeing patents or designs for it that mentioned the earcups were interchangeable and the headband could be swapped out. A Bloomberg report from 2020 made note of a version that was intended to be a fitness-focussed model with “lighter, breathable materials with small perforations lighter, breathable materials with small perforations”. Does that sound familiar?

In the end, the fitness-focussed version was ditched and the AirPods Max that we know came to be. I’d always thought that if Apple developed a sequel to the AirPods Max, they’d resurrect this prototype version, but the AirPods Max 2 arrived and they were pretty much the same as what came before. That felt like a missed opportunity.

Headphones go through so much wear: absorbing whatever is in your ear, being folded and twisted, linkages being stressed, batteries slowly degrading, earpad cushions disintegrating.

Headphones are built to last, sure, but they’re not built to necessarily be , which is why – from a design perspective – I find the Beats 360 interesting. I’m not sure why Apple couldn’t make its modular version work – with the Beats 360 now out, it doesn’t seem like a particularly thing to do – but the notion of modular headphones intrigues me, and every now and then I think why more brands do it.

Can Beats break out of its mould?

Another reason why the Beats 360 made me callback to those prototype AirPods Max is that they are such a departure from Beats’ previous headphones. Sure, they’ve got the Beats branding, but Beats headphones had a very distinct look going back all the way to when Dr Dre and Jimmy Iovine owned the brand – and I wouldn’t say it was a one.

Those headphones felt overly plastic, a little on the cheap and mass market side. They were colourful and stood out when people wore them on the streets, but I never got the impression they lasted long under wear and tear. Even the Studio Pro, a pair of headphones that referred to Beats’ heritage, felt like they honoured the creaky and plasticky build quality in a way. I would not say the same about the Beats 360.

These are headphones I’d use for the commute (they’re comfy to wear) but I’m also thinking about taking them to the gym (and swapping out the earpads in the process). Full-sized over-ears rarely have an IP rating, but these are modular come with IPX4 to protect against sweat and water splashes.

That provides confidence you could use them in plenty of different situations, and it leans into Beats’ fitness heritage, something I think it should do more of in comparison to the AirPods Max. I’ve seen so many people in their gym wear with AirPods Max on their heads, despite the fact they don’t have an official IP rating.

Having used them for a few days, the noise-cancelling isn’t quite top tier, but the call quality is excellent, the battery life is strong, and they sound fine – if a little colourless in the way that all Beats headphones have since the revamp. They feel solid, but there’s also something that feels like they’re being held back.

It’s telling that when I mention I’m reviewing the Beats 360, the response has been “Beats still make headphones?” There’s a little puzzlement that Beats is still around, which could be down to the omnipresence of the AirPods.

So I hope the Beats 360 can push further away from Apple, regain the presence with customers it used to have and affirm its identity in the process. Though it seems in order for the Beats 360 to do that, it had to delve into Apple’s past to find a way to be different.